The French ambassador in Yerevan, Jean-Francois Charpentier, on Monday spoke of “quite positive” atmosphere in ongoing consultations on a new agreement to deepen Armenia’s relations with the European Union.

“We are working with our Armenian friends to further elaborate the text of the new EU-Armenia agreement,” he told a news conference. “In the run-up to the [EU’s] Riga summit, the technical part of that work will near completion.”

Charpentier said the French government hopes to have a “clear idea on the scope of the EU’s cooperation with Armenia” in time for the summit due in May.

Turks have suffered far more than Armenians over the past century, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed on Thursday, angrily denouncing long-running efforts at greater international recognition of the 1915 Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire.

In a speech in Istanbul reported by “Today’s Zaman” daily, Erdogan challenged Armenia and its worldwide Diaspora to come up with more documentary evidence of the slaughter of 1.5 million Armenians. He charged that their efforts to have more countries recognize the mass killings as genocide are aimed at discrediting Turkey, rather than uncovering the truth.

“If we examine what our nation had to go through over the past 100-150 years, we would find far more [suffering] than the Armenians allegedly went through,” he said, according to “Today’s Zaman.”

In honor of the 100th anniversary of the forgotten genocide that ravaged the Armenian population of Ottoman Turkey, Bloodvine Media, in conjunction with Strongman and mTuckman Media, plans to release “1915” in theaters on April 17 and on demand April 22, 2015.

The psychological thriller is directed by Armenians Garin Hovannisian (author of Family of Shadows) and Alec Mouhibian, and features a who’s who of Armenian cast and crew, including executive producer Raffi K. Hovannisian (Armenia’s first foreign minister), Grammy Award winning composer Serj Tankian (from the band System of a Down, soon to go on a tour dedicated to the Genocide), and actors Simon Abkarian (Casino Royale) and Angela Sarafyan (Twilight). Read more...(489 words)

Hetq talks to Bedros Şirinoğlu and Dikran Altun, two influential members of the Armenian community of Istanbul regarding their perceptions of the events of 1915.

Bedros Şirinoğlu serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Holy Savior (Surp Prgich) Armenian Hospital in Istanbul. His family roots are in Bardizag (now Bahecik) near Izmit. His business interests are in construction, tourism and woodworking. He is known to have close relations with ruling Turkish government officials.

Erzurum born businessmanDikran Altunhas supported building bridges between the Armenian community in Turkey and Armenia since the latter gained independence from the Soviet Union. He’s probably best known as the person who launched a charter air flight between Yerevan and Istanbul that operates twice a week despite the closed border between the two nations. Read more...(1672 words)

At the invitation of Armenia’s Ministry of Culture, Adelina von Fürstenberg (née Cüberyan) will curate the Armenia’s pavilion at the 56th Venice Biennale, to take place from May 9 to November 22 of this year.

Armenia’s pavilion will be handed over to Armenian artists residing outside of Armenia, in a symbolic gesture to this year’s centennial of the 1915 Genocide. Adelina told Hetq that the post is a tremendous honor for her.

In 1993, for the 45th Biennale, she co-curated the Italian Pavilion and the Russian Pavilion. On this occasion, the international Jury of the Biennale awarded her a prize for her direction of Le Magasin – Centre National d’Art Contemporain and her work at the School of Curators. Read more...(787 words)

Two incidents involving migrant boats near the Turkish coast have followed UN warnings last week that Syrian refugees are being driven into the arms of human traffickers in a growing humanitarian crisis.

At least five migrants died as a boat capsized off the coast of south-west Turkey early this morning, according to Turkish media.

In the second of two serious episodes in the space of a week, the vessel sank in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Muğla province with 15 migrants from Syria and Iraq on board. Its intended destination was the Greek island of Kos.

Local fishermen spotted it sinking, and the Turkish coastguard rescued eight people. A search is underway for other survivors. Read more...(287 words)

A parliamentary body representing the European Union’s member and partner states on Tuesday called for greater international recognition of the 1915 Armenian genocide and urged Turkey to “come to terms with its past.”

In a resolution adopted during a session in Yerevan, the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly said “the absence of unequivocal and timely condemnation of the Armenian Genocide largely contributed to the failure to prevent future crimes against humanity.”

Therefore, it said, “prevention of genocides and crimes against humanity should be amongst the priorities of the international community.”The world should also strive for “the restoration of the rights of people subjected to genocide,” added the assembly bringing together members of the European Parliament and legislatures of ex-Soviet states involved in the EU’s Eastern Partnership program.

I thank you for this opportunity to address the Committee on Political Affairs, Human Rights and Democracy of the Parliamentary Assembly of Euronest.

Armenia highly appreciates comprehensive and multilayer cooperation with the European Union in such areas as democracy, the rule of law, protection of fundamental freedoms, joint programs on sustainable development and good governess, etc. Great importance is attached to the parliamentary dimension of this cooperation.

An ethnic Turk leading a major German political party urged Turkey to unconditionally establish diplomatic relations and open its border with Armenia as he ended a visit to Yerevan on Monday.

Cem Ozdemir, the co-chairman of the Alliance ‘90/The Greens party, also predicted that Ankara will eventually recognize the 1915 Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire.

“I think Turkey will do that sooner or later,” Ozdemir told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) in an interview. “It’s a matter of time. I don’t know when it will happen. But I’m sure one day it will happen.”

“I don’t see a reason why Turkish leaders could not show that courage,” he said. “It’s not about the past. It’s about the future. Addressing the past opens the path towards the future.”

The sounds recorded on one of the "black boxes" recovered from downed Germanwings Flight 9525 firms up a theory by investigators that the co-pilot locked the captain out of the cockpit and then crashed the plane. […]

Sameem Sulaiman shuffles in, the cuffs usually around his ankles and wrists removed for our interview. He agreed to speak to CNN, but not once during the interview did he make eye contact, or even look up, unwilling to speak directly to a woman. […]

Katy Perry headlined the 2015 Super Bowl Halftime Show, but all eyes were on one unsuspecting, lesser known character. Left Shark, one of Perry's backup dancers, arguably stole the show when he moved to the beat of his own, silent drum during Perry's "Teenage Dream." Left Shark gained instant celebrity with the flick of a fin. The Interne […]

Surfer Mark Healey has seen his share of hairy moments in the water, but not many will top this one. While out on a boat in the rough waters of the famed Mavericks surf spot in California's Half Moon Bay, Healey spotted a big wave and jumped into it. "Typically, in a potential maritime disaster, the best idea is to stay with the boat," the 33- […]

In the Rolling Stone article, "Why Won't Anyone Join Your Fantasy League", James Montgomery laments the difficulties of getting people to commit to the 6-month grind of fantasy baseball. He's not alone. When fantasy football players think about making the leap to baseball, there is one common response: "Oh. My. God. I have to do this […]

Everybody loves an underdog. I'm no different. It just feels right to root for the long shot. Happy March Madness, everyone. Tis the season of the bracket buster, the upset story, the Cinderella team. Tis the season when we turn on the TV rooting for no one and, in the final seconds, find ourselves shouting for a team we know nearly nothing about. The b […]

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A University of California, Berkeley soccer player who disappeared after leaving a weekend party was killed by a car as he ran across a Los Angeles freeway, police said Monday. The 19-year-old freshman, Eloi (eh-loy) Vasquez, died early Saturday on eastbound Interstate 10 about a mile from the University of Southern California after he wa […]

For all the potential dangers of football, ice hockey also has worrisome concussion rates, particularly for women players. And according to a new study by Virginia Tech's influential helmet-testing department, the helmets that hockey players strap on before they hit the ice leave much to be desired when it comes to player safety. Virginia Tech researche […]

Duke University, one of four teams left in the NCAA's March Madness tournament, on Monday became the latest institution to publicly come out against the "religious freedom" law recently passed in Indiana. Duke, along with Wisconsin, Kentucky and Michigan State, will head to Indianapolis for the Final Four this weekend. The championship game wi […]

The stage is set for this year's Final Four after one of the most exciting Elite Eight weekends in NCAA Tournament history. Three No. 1 seeds are still afloat and plenty of rich storylines exist. Along with Kentucky's pursuit of the perfect season, three remaining schools are within 350 miles of Indianapolis, allowing ticket prices on the secondary […]

Breastfeeding baseball fans no longer have to crouch in bathroom stalls or share first aid spaces if they want privacy while they feed their babies during games in Cincinnati. As a father of five, Cincinnati Reds chief operating officer Phil Castellini knew he had to do something when he found out that an increasing number of women were asking where to nurse […]

It's not often we meet our heroes. It's also not often that we meet our heroes while wearing a shirt with their name on it. In a Starbucks. Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander happened upon one of his tiny fans while standing in line at a Starbucks. But don't worry, the little guy got to meet Verlander. The pitcher said in a photo posted t […]

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Featured Books

Book Reviews

Armenians often wish for a tale about the Armenian Genocide and its aftermath that would make a blockbuster film and draw attention to their cause. John Balian’s new book, Gray Wolves and White Doves (CreateSpace/Amazon.com), may be that tale.

Largely autobiographical, this atmospheric novel is presented through the eyes of an innocent young boy trying to make sense of the world as he grows up amid repressive conditions in Western Armenia/Eastern Turkey during the 1960s and 70s.

This fast-paced, multi-layered narrative takes readers from Hanna Ibelin’s (a.k.a. Jonah Ibelinian’s) close-knit family life in the perilous Asia Minor region of Palu to terror and tragedy while en route to Syria’s Kamishli, to a bleak existence on the mean streets of Istanbul.Read more...(1860 words)

The Greedy Sparrow: An Armenian Tale is from the ancient Armenian oral tradition and culture, which was nearly obliterated during the Turkish genocide of the Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks in 1915. The author learned the tale from her father, editor and columnist C.K. Garabed, who would recite it to her at bedtime. He had learned it from his own grandmother, a celebrated storyteller from the Old Country. The tale was first put to paper by Armenian poet Hovhannes Toumanian at the turn of the 20th century. Read more...(541 words, 5 images)

Turkish writer and publicist Ahmet Insel labels the initiative of the Turkish Nationalist Movement Party to pray namaz on the ruins of Ani as provocation.

In an interview with “A1+,” the publicist said the initiative was supported only by a small percentage of Turks.

“They offered namaz in Ani in protest against Christian rites carried out in Trabzon and Akhtamar. The leader of the Nationalist Movement Party, Devlet Bahceli said if Christians are allowed to pray inside museums, similarly he can pray namaz in Armenian churches,” said Ahmet Insel.

The Turkish writer arrived in Armenia to participate in a book festival. Presentation of Armenian version of Dialogue sur le tabou arménien (Dialogue about the Armenian Tabou) co-authored by Ahmet Insel and Michel Marian was held during the festival. Read more...(392 words)

The book chronicles the aftermath of the Armenian Genocide of 1915, and recounts a people’s struggle for justice in the face of a century of silence and denial.

During the interview, which was aired during the prime morning time slot, Bill Handel addressed both the efforts within the United States to ensure that the US government appropriately acknowledges the Armenian Genocide and Turkey’s ongoing denial.

Handel, a well known and nationally syndicated radio talk show host, has discussed the Armenian Genocide during past shows. Read more...(326 words, 5 images)

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Commentary

The source of Armenia’s misery and humiliation, we often hear, is not capitalism per se, but rather “gangster capitalism,” “a broken system,” “capitalism run amok.”

The goal for the future, then, is to “fix the system,” to reform capitalism, to make it more like regular, pure, genuine Free Enterprise, the kind of capitalism that works. But what if Armenia’s actually existing capitalism already is genuine capitalism?

An economist once observed that the only existential meaning of “enterprise” in the term free enterprise is “whatever capitalists happen to be doing at the time”–and “free” is the accompanying demand that they be allowed to do it. Read more...(1503 words)

Ukraine’s ministry of internal affairs has launched a campaign against illegal casinos amid fears that a large network of underground gambling dens could be providing an income source for the son of the country’s disgraced former president Viktor Yanukovych.

The new crackdown on unlawful casinos – an ongoing scourge for law enforcement agencies in Ukraine since regulation was made stiffer with a 2009 law – was launched on Dec. 8 after an announcement on Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov’s official Facebook page.

Avakov, who keeps a lively and occasionally angry Facebook commentary on current affairs, pledged to put a complete stop to the establishments within ten days; first in the capital of Kyiv, then the rest of the nation. Read more...(317 words)

Here it is dear readers, the debut of a weekly column I hope to maintain on a regular basis.

It’s sort of a catch-all of news snippets, irreverent commentary, and personal observations on what’s happened during the week here in Yerevan, and throughout Armenia.. Hopefully, you’ll find it interesting, if not slightly diverting.

Your comments and suggestions are welcomed.

Regards – Hrant

Oct. 2 – Protests Throughout Armenia: A Game of Numbers & Solidarity

Three separate protest rallies took place in Armenia today.

As Hetq reported earlier, business owners in the town of Sevan kept their stores and factories shut to protest changes to the so-called volume (sales) tax. Local residents flocked to the bread factory to wait on line for a loaf or two. Read more...(891 words)

Zhou Yongkang, one of China’s most powerful former leaders, is under investigation in the highest-level corruption inquiry since the Communist Party came into power in 1949.

Under current president Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign, the party’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection is investigating Zhou for “serious disciplinary violations,” as the officialXinhua news agency reports. Media has not yet, however, specified the allegations against him.

The probe is an attempt to show the length to which Xi and the party will go in order to combat abuse of power reportsThe Wall Street Journal.

A commentary published in the officialPeoples Daily makes the point that regardless of an official’s rank or supporters, punishment will result for violating laws or the party’s discipline. Read more...(197 words)

“The whole thing started with a scene straight out of a mobster movie. It was around 6 p.m. when more than a dozen men from two organized crime groups opened fire on each other in a North Hollywood parking lot. Witnesses say nearly everyone was armed, and the shootout quickly went mobile. The men took off in cars, exchanging fire as they weaved through the Whitsett Avenue traffic.”

Stories such as this are not unique to Armenians in the American press, but this investigative report recently published in the LA Weekly is about Armenian Power, the Los Angeles based Armenian gang that operates in the heavily Armenian populated communities of Glendale, Burbank, and North Hollywood. Read more...(1217 words)